Brick-mold



R. A. FONTAINE.

BRICK MOLD. APPLICATION HLED DEC. 24, 1919.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

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A TTORNE V8 WITNESSES HTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. FONIAINE, OF MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF .IO SAMUEL S. STEPHENS, OF MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA.

BRICK-MOLD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1920.

Application filed December 24, 1919. Serial No. 347,086.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. F ONTAINE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Martinsville, in the county of Henry and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Brick-Mold, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in brick molds, an object of the invention being to provide a mold which constitutes a combined mold and cutter, and which will simultaneously form a large number of brick, and which can be economically and conveniently employed for molding brick.

A further object is to provide a mold, which, when moved vertically, operates to cut the mud in the mold into a large number of standard sized brick.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating my improved mold;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view.

My improved mold comprises a rectangular frame A composed of parallel side bars 1 and end bars 2. These bars 1 and 2 are preferably of angle iron with their base flanges projecting outwardly and their vertical flanges forming straight inner walls for the inner face of the mold. The bars 1 and 2 are connected at their ends by angle brackets 3 so as to form a rigid frame structure of the desired size. Longitudinal and transverse wires 4 and 5 are positioned under the bottom of the frame and at their ends extend upwardly through openings 6 in the bars of the frame. VVedge-shaped blocks 7 are supported on the frame bars and have slots 8 therein receiving the ends of the wires 4 and 5. The extreme ends of the wires are secured to cross pieces 9 located on the upper faces of the wedge blocks and these cross pieces may constitute ordinary nails which can be conveniently provided, but, of course, the invention is not limited. to the particular form of cross piece sup porting the end of the wire on the wedge blocks. By moving these wedge blocks longitudinally, the wires can be tightened or loosened so that a broken wire can be conveniently replaced and when all the wedge blocks are tightened up, the wires will maintained taut and the wires 4 firmly held at right angles to the wires 5.

It is, of course, to be understood that the wires 4 and 5 are so arranged as to form spaces between them of a size conforming to the dimensions of the standard brick, and as all of the wires are located under the bottom face of the frame, they do not interfere with the filling of the mold with the mud to form the brick.

In operation, the mold is placed upon a flat surface and the mud is placed in the mold and made level with the upper edge of the bars of the frame. The frame bars are therefore of the proper height or depth to form the standard brick. While the mud is still plastic, and in fact, immediately after it is smoothed over the mold, the mold is elevated and the wires 4 and 5 cut through the mud. To facilitate this lifting action of the mold, handles 10 are provided on the end bars 2, but, of course, the mold might be lifted in any way desired. As the mud or clay is still wet, the individual bricks, which. are formed by the wires cutting the entire mass, will stick together until they dry, when, by reason of the contraction of the bricks, they will pull apart.

It is, of course, to be understood that the bricks which are formed by lifting the mold through the mass are allowed to remain on the smooth surface until they are dry and during such drying operation, they will effectually separate from each other. A single mold can therefore be moved from one smooth surface to another and can be utilized for forming a great number of brick.

It will therefore be noted that with my improved mold the brick can be made of perfect and uniform size. Furthermore, the use of the mold results in an inexpensive method offering opportunity to manufacturers who are limited in funds and makes it possible for a builder or contractor to make a small quantity of brick Without shapes the mass, but cuts the mass into many dividual brick when the moldis elevated.

Various slight changes may be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described Without departing from the in vention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character stated, comprising a rectangular frame of angle bars forming a mold, parallel Wires connecting the four parallel sides of the frame, and means on the frame for adjusting the wiresv 2. A device of the character stated, comprising a frame, said frame consisting of parallel side and end angle bars forming a mold, parallel Wires connecting the side bars, parallel Wires connecting the end bars, means on the bars adjustably supporting the ends of the wires, said means comprising Wedge-shaped blocks having Wire receiving slots therein, and cross pieces secured to the Wires and located on the inciined upper faces of said Wedge blocks.

8. A device of the character stated, comprising a rectangular frai 1e, said frame composed of angle bars having the hori- Zontal Webs thereof projecting outwardly and having openings in said vebs, slotted Wedge blocks on said bars, Wires positioned under the frame and having their ends projected through said openings and through the slots of the Wedge blocks, and cross pieces secured to the ends of the Wires and located against the inclined upper faces of the wedge blocks.

ROBERT A. FONTA'INE. 

